Transporting liquids such as crude oil, refined petroleum products, or corrosive liquids such as concentrated acids or bases is often accomplished utilizing tanks and underground pipelines. Underground pipelines are subject to leakage from the piping, fittings, and valves. When an underground pipe carrying a hazardous or corrosive liquid develops a leak, the leak must first be detected and located before it can be repaired.
Various systems for detecting leaks are well-known. For example, sensor cables may be used to detect changes in variables along an elongate path, such as the presence of a liquid such as water, an organic solvent, or a corrosive liquid. Sensor cables may be extended in a pipeline, along the length or longitudinal axis or at various sections or points at which the leakage of liquids tends to occur. Additionally, crude oil leak detection over the many thousands of miles of an oil pipe transport system is extremely difficult to perform. However, detecting low rate leaks caused by corrosion of the carrier pipe (inner pipe) is increasingly important to the oil companies and governmental agencies, such as the State of Alaska, as the piping system ages.
Accordingly, there is a need in the field of transporting liquids for improvements in leak detection. The present invention addresses this and other needs.